Solar thermal power generation notice

Will a clean heat grant support solar thermal?

One potential mechanism to support the deployment of solar thermal is the Clean Heat Grant (CHG), which is due to launch in April 2022 and will deliver upfront grants to help homeowners pay for low carbon heating technologies.

How many solar thermal installations are there in 2021?

This closure was a source of major frustration for industry, given the popularity of the technology that the GHG figures show: the scheme contributed to the fact that in the first eight months of 2021, there were 5,485 solar thermal installations – more than 14 times as many as the total number in 2020.

How can solar thermal help the UK with decarbonisation?

The technology can help the UK with decarbonisation by supporting the move to low carbon heat methods; solar thermal is a fully zero carbon heating technology, compared with electric heating, which also needs 100% renewable electricity (for example, from onsite generation such as solar PV) to achieve the same benefit.

What is solar thermal & how does it work?

Solar thermal is a powerful green addition to a building’s heat supply, generating space and water heating using the sun’s energy.

How popular is solar thermal?

The popularity of solar thermal is clear: according to government statistics, solar thermal installations accounted for 60% of all low-carbon heat measures installed under the scheme – more than any other low-carbon technology, including heat pumps – and 15% of total installations before the scheme was closed – early – on 31 March 2021.

Why are solar thermal systems becoming more popular in the UK?

The technology is particularly popular at the moment: the graph above shows the massive increase in solar thermal installations which have taken place in the UK in 2021. This is positive: the more solar thermal systems installed, the less electricity and gas is required to generate heat in buildings. But where has this growth come from?